Photo by Jana Rabenhauptova

Just in case you are wondering how I got on during the rest of my time in Germany that July: I had a good time because I have seen a lot of new things, new customs, new places. The host mother and the whole family were very welcoming, open-minded and generous. They have asked me to extend my stay and join them on their holidays in Austria during the month of August. I couldn’t, I was anxious to get home. Why did I only have a good and not a brilliant time, why was I anxious to get home? Because my teenage heart was truly broken as my boyfriend did not respond to any of the many letters I have written to him. I have made many long distance phone calls to him daily to show him that I care about him; running up a huge phone bill for the family (for which I am still truly ashamed till today!) and yet he would barely talk to me and said because I have chosen Germany over him, we were finished. It took me a couple of years to get truly over him as these long term first teenage loves can be very powerful bonds hard to break but I am very happy that I have chosen Germany over him.  I was off to a university in a big city after that summer and a whole new world was beginning to open in front of me…and with that more au pairing opportunities…